THE head of the organisation running Wales' anti-coronavirus vaccination programme has branded the newly-approved vaccine - which will be rolled out across the country from next week - "very safe".
Speaking during a press conference this afternoon, Dr Gill Richardson, co-chairwoman of the Welsh Government's Covid-19 Vaccine Programme Board, said: “We are extremely pleased to be offering what we think is a very safe vaccine to the population”.
Dr Richardson was speaking after it was announced earlier today that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine has been marked safe for use and will be rolled out across Wales – and the rest of the UK – from next week.
Asked if the vaccine was likely to have any side effects, she said: “As with any vaccine there are potential side effects.
"Usually they are a sore arm, occasionally a raised temperature.
"But usually very serious side effects are extremely rare and we know from the studies with the vaccine that there are really good safety profiles. The safety profiles include for the elderly and those with clinical conditions.”
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She also explained how it was safe despite the fact a vaccine normally takes 10 years to develop but it has been done in 10 months.
She said: “The reason vaccines normally take so long hinges on funding, volunteers for the various phases of trials that need to happen before approval and scientists.
“For this vaccine, there was overwhelming goodwill to share and learn from each other. Funding and volunteers have not been a problem. I want to say a huge thank you to all in Wales who have been involved.
“The rest of the process is straight forward from there. Stringent safety tests are done. This vaccine has had no less stringent safety tests done.”
Also speaking during the press conference, Wales’ chief medical officer Dr Frank Atherton said: “We’ve got really good evidence the vaccine is safe and effective.”
The UK is the first country to approve the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine – which trials have shown has up to 95 per cent protection against Covid-19. The vaccine has to be stored at -70 degrees and will be delivered in two doses.
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